Massachusetts special election

The election of Edward Markey to the U.S. Senate sets the stage for yet another special election in Massachusetts, this one to fill the U.S. House seat that Markey has held for more than 36 years.

Several Democrats had already expressed interest in running for the 5th congressional district seat if Markey won the special Senate election. They include Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, state Sens. Katherine Clark, Karen Spilka and William Brownsberger, and state Rep. Carl Sciortino.

Massachusetts voters are heading to the polls to pick a new U.S. senator.

Democrat Edward Markey and Republican Gabriel Gomez scrambled to energize supporters and mobilize get-out-the-vote efforts in the hours leading up to today’s special election to succeed John Kerry, who resigned to become U.S. secretary of state.

The candidates wrapped up a busy last day of campaigning by holding rallies — Gomez with former Sen. Scott Brown in Quincy and Markey in his hometown of Malden.

Democrat Edward Markey is pressing his Republican opponent in the state's special U.S. Senate election to sign a pledge to discourage outside groups from spending money on TV, radio and Internet campaign ads.

Markey sent a letter to Republican Gabriel Gomez Friday asking that he join him at the Omni Parker House in Boston today to sign the so-called "People's Pledge."

Gomez refused to sign the pledge and instead demanded Markey return the millions he's received from political action committees during his three decades in Congress.

Massachusetts voters are heading to the polls to decide which Republican and Democratic candidates will win their party primaries and go on to run in the state's second special U.S. Senate election in four years.

The race to fill the seat formerly held by Secretary of State John Kerry has been overshadowed by the Boston Marathon bombings. A light turnout is expected today.

The Republican candidates include former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez, former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan and state Rep. Daniel Winslow.

The candidates in the Massachusetts special election to replace U.S. Senator John Kerry have been forced to walk a delicate balance as they court voters ahead of Tuesday's primary elections.

They suspended campaign activities for roughly a week after the Boston Marathon bombings, which took place 15 days before the Republican and Democratic primaries. After resuming campaigning, they have largely avoided the site of the attack out of sensitivity for victims.